Aggradational

Definition - What does Aggradational mean?

Aggradational is a geological term related to aggradation. Aggradation refers to the raise in the level of land that occurs due to the deposition of sediment in the layers of the land. There are many Aggradational factors caused to the environment that lead to the deposition of sediment, for example river deltas and alluvial rivers. An Aggradational environment can be caused due to the land use, climate change, earthquake and volcanic eruption. Often, the result of Aggradational environment is a sedimentary basin, which is formed after millions of years of deposition.

Petropedia explains Aggradational

The sediment deposition is referred to as aggradation. The sediments can get deposited in the land and can cause the land to get elevated over a period of time. There are numerous environmental reasons which can lead to the aggradation of land. These environmental reasons are called Aggradational environment, which lead to the geological phenomenon of aggradation. The accumulation of sediments makes the layer of sediment beds stack on each other. Over time, the accumulation builds upwards, causing the land to elevate. The ideal Aggradational environments include river deltas, alluvial fans and alluvial rivers.